By ZADOCK ANGIRA zangira@ke.nationmedia.com and BY PETER NG’ETICH pngetich@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, January 27 2012 at 22:30
Posted Friday, January 27 2012 at 22:30
The groups at State House Nairobi on November 26, 2007, were there to declare their support for President Kibaki’s re-election and to find out the plans he had for the youth, police said on Friday.
Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere said 33 people representing eight groups were addressed by the President at a function attended by head of Public Service Francis Muthaura.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was not at the function as alleged by the International Criminal Court. (READ: Judges: How Uhuru bankrolled violence)
He named the eight groups as Warembo na Kibaki, Vijana na Kibaki, Kipya-Youth Inter-parties, PNU Youth Alliance, Kanu Youth, KAWA, OKA, and Hawkers.
Mr Iteere dismissed allegations that Mungiki members attended the meeting. (READ: Kibaki attended Mungiki meeting at State House, says ICC)
“We have all the files dating many years back and we are ready to provide that information,” Mr Iteere said adding that no person could access State House without the consent of the Comptroller.
Mr Maina Kang’ethe and Mr Godwin Kamau who, according to the police, attended the function under the umbrella group called OKA were among the people adversely mentioned during the ICC ruling on Monday.
Police said Mr Kang’ethe and Mr Kamau attended the meeting together with Mr Anthony Kamau.
According to Witness OTP-4, Mr Maina Kang’ethe alias ‘Diambo’, Mr Godwin Kamau and “DO” were members of the highest group in the Mungiki ranking after Maina Njenga and Charles Ndung’u Wagacha.
Witness OTP-12, according to ICC ruling, stated more specifically that Mr Kang’ethe alias “Diambo” was the former bodyguard of Mr Njenga.
Draw support for Kibaki
A group of youths who met President Kibaki at State House days to the 2007 General Election also denied being members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.
The youths called themselves Kibaki Youth Campaign Team 2007, or Vijana na Kibaki at that time and were drawn from various tribes and could not belong to the banned sect as alleged by ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
In a statement read by Mr Evans Gor Semelango, who represented Nyanza at the function, the youth said they were only 20 in number. Police put the number at 33.
“While acknowledging the importance of ICC process in pursuit of justice, the said meeting was to purely draw support for the President,” Mr Semelango said.
He said the meeting was called between them and the President after Mr Kibaki questioned why more youths were not backing his re-election.
“On November 25, 2007, we held a rally at Uhuru Park for President Kibaki. Besides the rally, the meeting was to present various positions that the youth wanted leading to the November 26, 2007 meeting,” Mr Semelango, who was flanked by Mr Badi Ali (Coast) and Mr Kizito Temba (Western), said.
Present at function
He said youths from Western, Eastern, Coast and other provinces were present at the function.
“We are not members of Mungiki. We are shocked by the fact that this noble meeting and our good standing in the society is subject to question by ICC,” Mr Semelango.
ICC judges on Monday said they were convinced that President Kibaki met Mungiki members during the day.
But State House has denied the claims and President Kibaki even sent a personal statement to the ICC during the confirmation of charges hearings against Mr Muthaura, delinking himself from the sect. (READ: State House denies Mungiki meeting)
However, the judges poured cold water on President Kibaki’s denial.
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